


Friday The Thirteenth

by wrigglesworth59



Series: 13th & 14th [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: ... So, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempt at Humor, Don't Be Disappointed, First Dates, If Its Not Funny, M/M, Most Of My Fic's Are Slightly Dark, Though Bear In Mind, um
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-13
Updated: 2015-02-13
Packaged: 2018-03-12 05:31:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3345347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wrigglesworth59/pseuds/wrigglesworth59
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stupid superstitions, though he's starting to believe there may be some truth in them...<br/>Though on second thoughts... perhaps it's not all bad</p>
            </blockquote>





	Friday The Thirteenth

**Author's Note:**

> Just a lil fic to chase away those Friday 13th woe's and prepare you all for tomorrow...  
> Happy Friday 13th...  
> And Happy Valentine's  
> Enjoy :)

 

_  
_Friday 13 February_ _

_I have only been up for like fifteen minutes and can already tell that I should just climb right back into bed._

_Stupid superstitions, although so far I'm inclined to agree that perhaps there is some truth to the whole_

_Friday the 13th thing, if my morning so far is anything to go by._

_Seriously, I have an interview in an hour! and my only smart clothes are now covered in cat sick, thanks_

_for that Killi, then I burnt my breakfast (and myself) cos I was too busy trying to clean my clothes to_

_remember about the toast under the grill, until the smoke alarm went off, now everything smells of burnt_

_toast._

_It's a nightmare, it has to be, maybe if I crawl back into bed for ten I can start this day over._

 

Merlin jolts into awareness, heart pounding and looks over at his alarm - 8:55am. Shit!

He leaps from his bed, falling to the floor heavily as his feet remain tangled in his covers, the thud of his diary accompanying him, and groans, his already burned hand flaring with pain as it connects with the hard wood floor. He now only has twenty minutes before he is meant to be at the Pendragon corporation building, he's had no breakfast and his suit still has an ominous stain from the cat sick earlier and also the lingering smell of burnt toast.

What the fuck is he going to do?

Don't panic! He tells himself sternly, not that it does much good as he is already close to a complete breakdown. How long has he been waiting for the chance at even an interview there, and now it looks like he's blown it before he's even arrived! 

He pulls the duvet off his feet then stands, glancing around the bombsite that is his room, eyes narrowing as he takes in all the crumpled up clothes strewn everywhere, clean and dirty alike, blowing out a heavy breath at his bad luck, today of all days.

He instead pulls on his smartest pair of black jeans, meaning the only ones without holes or frayed hems, and goes over to his closet in hopes of finding at least one shirt that doesn't need ironing, it doesn't matter what else it looks like. Although there are absolutely NO shirts hanging up, which means they are all on the floor somewhere.

Great, just great.

He finally locates one that isn't quite as crumpled as the rest, the dark blue hopefully working to hide any creases as he smoothes his hands down it, once, twice, before putting it on. He really doesn't have the time for anything else, it's a good job he showered and everything earlier, still he doesn't even bother with a last look in the mirror before he's grabbing his jacket and making a run for the nearest bus stop.

 

His bus is just pulling out when he makes it to the corner. "NO!" And he puts on a burst of speed that does nothing to help him because the bus is gone already, happily trundling off down the road and he collapses disheartened onto the seats, knowing the next bus isn't due for another fifteen minutes and well he is going to be ridiculously late for his interview and could the world just swallow him up now, please?

He spots a black cab with the lights on and leaps to his feet to hail it, the fact it stops is his only good bit of fortune so far. After climbing in and giving the driver the address he allows himself to relax a little, hopefully now he will not be _too_ late.

When he finally arrives at the Pendragon building it is 9:27, so seven minutes late plus however long it takes him to arrive at the right office, okay, he can still get this. He hopes, as he dashes inside looking rather like a madman.

He stops at the reception desk, confidence wavering slightly under the condescending look the woman behind the desk casts over him, but tries to ignore it as best he can. 

"Um, I have an interview with Arthur Pendragon, could you tell me where his office is?" He asks as politely as he can, and the woman's smirk widens.

"Top floor, down the hall on the right. Good luck." 

"Thanks," And then he's rushing off again but not before he hears the woman's voice declare that he'll need it, accompanied by a high cackling laugh, and he can't help but wonder if perhaps she is an evil witch, or maybe a troll. But then the lift arrives and he puts all thoughts of the scary woman from his mind.

 

There is another secretary seated outside Arthur's office, though this one looks decidedly more friendly than the last one, offering him a small genuine smile as he approaches.

"Hi, I'm Merlin, Emrys, I'm here for an interview." He watches as her smile falters and she bites her lip, before waving him towards an empty seat by the door and tries not to listen in to the one sided conversation as she calls through his arrival.

"Mr Emrys... Mr Pendragon will see you now." He nods and stands, "Good luck." She calls before he knocks on the door.

"Come in." A gruff voice calls, and he fights down the irrational flutter of foreboding as he opens the door and enters, closing it behind him before turning to face the great Arthur Pendragon.

The blonde is younger than he imagined, probably only a few years older than himself, dressed in an immaculate crisp suit that undoubtedly costs more than his whole flat is worth.

The blonde looks him over with the same condescending air the troll woman had, and he feels his trepidation rising, he isn't even given a chance to sit or introduce himself or anything really before the blonde scoffs and finally speaks.

"No. Now get out."

He feels his anger rising at that, what an absolute prat!

"Really, is that how you host all your interviews? You just judge people on their looks?" And okay being rude is probably not going to help but still, the fact that he has been dismissed without even an introduction grates.

"Not usually no, but for you I'm prepared to make an exception, save us both from wasting our time. Don't you agree?"

It was clearly a rhetorical question but what the hell did he mean by that?

"Right and what is that supposed to mean, you haven't asked a single question?"

"Well,  _Mer_ lin, for starters you didn't even bother to show up on time," He blushes at that and opens his mouth to explain but the prat just raises his voice and continues, "secondly when you do finally arrive you are dressed inappropriately AND you appear to have just crawled out of bed. So not the best start and I believe all those are good enough reasons to end this farce of an interview. Good day."

He really can't say much to that, sure he could try and explain but he doubts very much that the prat would even bother to listen. He swallows down his anger along with his disappointment.

"Right, well sorry to have wasted your time, it was nice to have met you." He says politely while his mind is happily turning over insults for the stupid dollop-head. He turns on his heel and leaves, shoulders slumped. 

Now what? He wonders as he leaves the Pendragon building behind, he could really use a drink but is aware that even the establishments agree it is too early for that so instead he makes his way to the nearest cafe and slumps down into a seat picking up the menu.

 

After enjoying a breakfast of buttery toast covered over in soft fluffy scrambled eggs and a very large cup of black coffee he feels a little better, despite knowing that he will never have his dream job at Pendragon corporation it is not the only computer software company out there, though it is the best.

He decides to go and buy himself a new book to cheer himself up which he starts reading sitting on a cold park bench, though he feels no desire to move or return home just yet. So it is a couple of hours later when his bleak morning is but a bad memory that he is standing waiting for the lights to change that he notices a man talking into his phone just step into the road and he acts purely on instinct.

Leaping forward his hand closes around the soft wool of the man's coat collar and he yanks him back hard, causing both of them to topple backwards onto the pavement, the man landing slightly on top of him and knocking the wind out of him just as a car speeds by, horn blaring angrily.

The man sits up slightly and turns his head to look at him and Merlin is met with the sight of a man in his middle years, hair mostly grey with cool grey eyes to match, except there is a warmth to them that causes his breath to catch.

"Thank you." The man says, standing and offering him a hand to help pull him to his feet, "Please, allow me to buy you lunch."

It sounds sort of more like an order and he's not really sure what to make of the offer and so just gapes and stutters a bit incoherently for a few moments before finally finding words that are actually English and understandable.

"No, really. Um you don't have to." He says a little awkwardly, trying not to fidget too much under the man's intense staring.

"Nonsense, you saved my life, its the least I can do."

"Um, well I woul-" 

"Excellent, I know the perfect place, its not far." And he is given no more chance to protest as the other man starts leading the way and he scrambles to catch up. The man turns to him with a smile and offers his hand, "Uther."

He takes the hand, large and warm even through the leather of his gloves and can't help smiling back, "Merlin."

 

When they arrive at the restaurant he's a little anxious to see it is mostly full of people in suits, and hopes that he won't bump into the prat that is Arthur, it seems like the type of place he would go to. 

He worries a little about being underdressed but doubts they can actually kick him out just based on his attire, then snorts in wry amusement since that has already happened to him once today, but as it is they don't even need to wait for a table, being seated straight away at a quiet table in the corner.

The ease of the conversation surprises him a little and he enjoys regaling Uther in the amusing tale that was his horrific morning, enjoying the way the older man laughs, the crinkles at the corner of his eyes. he is just about to get on to the part of rushing to his interview when he hears the faint sounds of some pop tune coming from somewhere and only realises what it is when Uther pulls his phone out.

"Sorry, I'd best get this... Arthur," He says into the phone and Merlin picks up his wine glass to give himself something to do, even though its hard not to hear the conversation taking place. "I'm taking an extended lunch... no, no... somethings come up, I won't be back in the office today... I will, goodbye.  Sorry about that, where were we?"

"Um," And now he feels awkward, why is that? But there is something niggling in his mind, has been ever since Uther answered... the phone. Oh. He groans and stupidly lets his head fall to his chest as his whole body slumps. Bloody stupid! God, he's an idiot.

"Are you alright?" Uther questions clear concern in his voice, and why the buggering fuck of all the good looking men he could have rescued from being runover does it have to be Uther bloody Pendragon, CEO and founder of Pendragon corporation, father to Arthur the prat. "Merlin?"

"You're Uther _Pendragon_ , aren't you?" He knows the answer but doesn't think there's any harm in needing clarification. And to his complete surprise the older man bursts into peals of laughter. He just sits there gawping at him while he laughs his bloody head off. What. The. Buggering. Fuck?

"Sorry," Uther apologises as he wipes tears of laughter from his eyes and a few more chuckles escape, "I'm guessing you're the Merlin my son was on about this morning then?"

"Oh God." He groans and picks up his glass, draining the contents in one long swallow. It fails to make him feel any better though.

"Relax Merlin, its fine. It's actually rather amusing I think, especially now I know your reasons for your tardiness and dress." Uther waves over a waiter and orders a bottle of wine for them, "So you missed the bus..."

He lifts his head, eyes meeting those of Uther, seeing the true amusement and a hint of mischief sparkling in there depths and can't help but think perhaps today's not been all bad, as a smile pulls at his lips and he continues on with his story of meeting an absolute prat.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I may do a (mature/explicit) one shot tomorrow of how the evening went and how they spend valentine's if anyone's interested, let me know though! :)


End file.
